1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates in general to a high capacity heat sink that is suitable for use in vehicles, particularly aircraft. This disclosure relates in particular to absorbing heat from a heat source by using the heat to facilitate an endothermic reaction in a steam reformer.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicles may produce excess heat that must be removed from the vehicle. Jet aircraft, for example, have numerous heat sources, including the jet engine, avionics, and friction created by air passing over the exterior of the aircraft. In some circumstances, traditional heat removal techniques are not desirable. For example, radiators may be used to remove heat from an aircraft but radiators may contribute to thermal and infrared signatures, which are undesirable for tactical aircraft.
An alternative heat removal technique is to transfer excess heat into the vehicle's liquid fuel. Aircraft, for example, typically have a large amount of fuel on-board, thus making it convenient to transfer heat to the fuel before the fuel is consumed by the engine. Heating the fuel may also improve the fuel efficiency of the jet engine. However, the heat capacity of the fuel is limited. Components that come into contact with the fuel, such as seals, valves, and electronic components, may be damaged if the fuel is too hot. Furthermore, the fuel itself has a finite capacity for heat. In some circumstances, aircraft missions must end early, not because of lack of fuel, but because of lack of available heat sink capacity. Therefore, an alternative technique to remove excess heat from an aircraft, without increasing the thermal signature of the aircraft, is desirable.